U.S. patent application number 13/058049 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-28 for specimen rack.
This patent application is currently assigned to HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Seiji Nomura, Tadashi Oishi, Takeshi Setomaru, Kouichi Suzuki, Nobuo Suzuki.
Application Number | 20110182784 13/058049 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42059424 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110182784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suzuki; Kouichi ; et
al. |
July 28, 2011 |
SPECIMEN RACK
Abstract
A specimen rack can be used for specimen containers irrespective
of kinds thereof and irrespective of whether or not the specimen
containers are rotated. An adapter is used for an automatic
analyzer and a specimen pre-processing device and is adapted for a
specimen rack capable of holding specimen containers. The adapter
is provided with a specimen rack mounting section inserted and
fixed to an adapter insertion section of a specimen rack body, a
specimen container positioning section for holding the specimen
containers, and a sleeve.
Inventors: |
Suzuki; Kouichi;
(Hitachinaka, JP) ; Suzuki; Nobuo; (Hitachinaka,
JP) ; Nomura; Seiji; (Tokai, JP) ; Oishi;
Tadashi; (Ibaraki, JP) ; Setomaru; Takeshi;
(Hitachinaka, JP) |
Assignee: |
HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES
CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
42059424 |
Appl. No.: |
13/058049 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
September 3, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2009/004342 |
371 Date: |
February 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/561 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01L 3/5453 20130101;
B01L 2200/023 20130101; G01N 35/026 20130101; B01L 9/06
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/561 |
International
Class: |
B01L 9/00 20060101
B01L009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 24, 2008 |
JP |
2008-243966 |
Claims
1. A specimen rack adapter applied to a specimen rack which is used
for an automatic analyzer and a specimen pre-processing device and
which is capable of holding a plurality of specimen containers, the
specimen rack adapter comprising: a specimen rack mounting section
inserted and fixed to an adapter insertion section of a specimen
rack body; a specimen container positioning section for holding the
specimen containers; and a sleeve for easy insertion into the
specimen container positioning section of the specimen rack
body.
2. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 1, further
comprising: a specimen container pushing section for restricting
rotation of the specimen container.
3. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 1, further
comprising: a knob for easy detachment from the specimen rack
body.
4. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 1, being a C-shape
which is a shape of a partially opened side surface.
5. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 1, wherein a weight
which is detachable is attached.
6. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 5, being an O-shape
which has a closed side surface.
7. A specimen rack into which the specimen rack adapter according
to claim 1 is permitted to be inserted.
8. The specimen rack according to claim 7, being permitted to be
used in both an automatic analyzer and a specimen pre-processing
device.
9. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 3, wherein the
knobs are provided in two places, and a lower end of the knobs and
an outer circumference of a lower end of the sleeve are
tapered.
10. The specimen rack adapter according to claim 1, wherein the
specimen rack mounting sections are provided on four places of an
upper portion thereof.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a specimen rack using
adapters.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A specimen rack for transporting multiple specimen
containers is required for an automatic analyzer and a specimen
pre-processing device because easy collection of liquid specimens
improves efficiency.
[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a test tube support rack having
a test tube support rack body having a cylindrical shape to support
differently sized test tubes appropriately by use of one kind of
test tube support rack and to transport each test tube separately
depending on purposes of examinations and tests. A test tube
insertion hole having a test tube support bottom is formed to a
central portion of a circular cross section of the test tube
support rack body in parallel to a central axis of the test tube
support rack. A rack through hole smaller than a dimension of the
test tube is provided to a central portion of the test tube support
bottom.
[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a specimen transport rack
operable in both an automatic analyzer and a specimen
pre-processing device and capable of accommodating various
dimensions of specimen containers. The specimen transport rack
includes a specimen rack capable of holding multiple specimen
containers and an adapter having a generally ring shape and
inserted into an insertion opening of a specimen container of the
specimen rack. The adapter has a dimension generally the same as an
inner diameter of the insertion opening of the specimen container
provided to the specimen rack, and includes a specimen container
positioning surface having an inner diameter generally the same as
a dimension of a held specimen container and a specimen container
pushing section projecting internally to the specimen container
positioning surface.
[0005] Further, there is an automatic analyzer having a bar code
reader for identifying specimens. In this case, since it is
difficult to read the bar code during rotation of the specimen
rack, it is necessary to control rotation of the specimen
container.
[0006] On the other hand, since the bar code is read during the
rotation in the specimen pre-processing device, it is necessary to
rotate the specimen rack. Therefore, there are multiple specimen
racks that accommodate sizes of the specimen containers and the
presence or absence of the rotation of the specimen containers.
CITATION LIST
Patent Documents
[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei
09-15246 [0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2006-292696
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem to be solved by the Invention
[0009] As mentioned above, there are the multiple specimen racks
that accommodate types of the specimen containers and the presence
or absence of the rotation of the specimen containers. Therefore,
it is necessary for a user of the automatic analyzer and the
specimen pre-processing device to provide the multiple specimen
racks depending on the application. This results in problems of
cost and a storage area.
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a common
specimen rack regardless of types of the specimen containers and
the presence or absence of the rotation of the specimen
containers.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0011] A specimen rack adapter of the present invention is applied
to a specimen rack capable of holding multiple specimen containers,
the specimen rack being used for an automatic analyzer and a
specimen pre-processing device. The adapter includes a specimen
rack mounting section inserted and fixed to an adapter insertion
section of a specimen rack body, a specimen container positioning
section for holding the specimen containers, and a sleeve.
Advantages of the Invention
[0012] According to the present invention, cost can be reduced by
providing a single type of specimen rack body and multiple specimen
rack adapters.
[0013] Additionally, according to the present invention, the
multiple specimen rack adapters are provided depending on the usage
to mount different adapters to multiple holes. This permits
handling of both the blood of elderly persons collected only by a
trace amount and the blood of the other persons by use of the same
specimen rack, improving operational efficiency.
[0014] Further, according to the present invention, easy attachment
and detachment are achieved to improve convenience.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a specimen rack of an
embodiment of the present invention into which specimen containers
have been inserted.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the specimen rack and
specimen rack adapters of the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the specimen rack of
the embodiment of the present invention into which the specimen
rack adapters has been inserted.
[0018] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a specimen container
rotation restricting adapter of an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 4B is a top view showing the specimen container
rotation restricting adapter of the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a specimen container
rotation adapter of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 5B is a top view showing the specimen container
rotation adapter of the embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 6A is an upper perspective view showing a combined
micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container
adapter of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 6B is a lower perspective view showing the combined
micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container
adapter of the embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The present invention relates to a specimen rack using
adapters and particularly to the specimen rack which is capable of
transporting multiple specimen containers and which is particularly
required to accommodate various sizes of specimen containers and
the presence or absence of rotation of specimen containers in an
automatic analyzer and a specimen pre-processing device which
conduct urine analyses, biochemical analyses, and immunoassays by
use of liquid specimens.
[0025] The present invention provides only one type of specimen
rack body and multiple specimen rack adapters inserted into the
specimen rack body. This achieves a specimen rack that accommodates
sizes of specimen containers and the existence or absence of
rotation of the specimen containers. Each specimen rack adapter is
differently weighted to make constant the center of gravity of the
specimen rack regardless of the specimen containers. Further, the
specimen rack adapters used herein are mounted to and detached from
a specimen rack body easily. Additionally, the use of a dedicated
tool permits easier detachment.
[0026] Hereafter, embodiments of the present invention is explained
in detail in reference to the drawings.
Embodiment
[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the state where
specimen containers have been inserted into a specimen rack of the
present invention.
[0028] A 16 mm-diameter specimen container 2, a 13 mm-diameter
specimen container 3 and a micro specimen container 4 have been
inserted in a specimen rack body 1 of this embodiment. The specimen
rack body 1 is a rectangular solid of 120 mm in length, 20 mm in
width and 70 mm in height. Bar codes 5 for identifying specimens
are affixed on the 16 mm-diameter specimen container 2 and the 13
mm-diameter specimen container 3.
[0029] The present invention is not limited to these sizes. In this
figure, the number of the specimen containers mountable in the
specimen rack body 1 is five, but the number is not limited to
five. Additionally, the arrangement of the specimen containers is
not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows specimen rack adapters and the specimen rack
body 1 used when the 16 mm-diameter specimen container 2, the 13
mm-diameter specimen container 3 and the micro specimen container 4
are inserted into the specimen rack body 1.
[0031] The specimen rack adapters are generally ring-shaped, each
of which has a side surface not completely closed but partially
opened. This permits, e.g., the bar codes affixed to the side
surfaces of the specimen containers to be read. Herein, the shape
of the partially opened side surface of the specimen rack adapter
is called a C-shape.
[0032] The specimen rack adapters vary depending on sizes of the
specimen containers and the existence or absence of rotation of the
specimen containers, and include a rotation restricting adapter 6,
a rotation adapter 7 and an adapter for both micro specimen
container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container 8, and can be
inserted into five holes of the specimen rack body 1 freely. The
rotation restricting adapter 6, the rotation adapter 7, and the
adapter for both micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter
specimen container 8 are inserted from adapter insertion sections 9
of the specimen rack body 1.
[0033] The inner diameters of the specimen rack adapters are a
little smaller than but generally equal to the outer diameters of
the specimen containers. This prevents the specimen containers
mounted in the specimen rack adapters from being damaged by
vibration etc.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the specimen rack of
the embodiment of the present invention into which the specimen
rack adapters have been inserted. FIG. 4A is a perspective view
showing the specimen container rotation restricting adapter of an
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is its top view.
FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing the specimen container
rotation adapter of an embodiment of the present invention, and
FIG. 5B is its top view. FIG. 6A is a top perspective view showing
an adapter for both micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter
specimen container of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
6B is its lower perspective view.
[0035] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a rotation restricting adapter
6 has specimen container pushing sections 12 on a middle portion
thereof, the specimen container pushing sections 12 restricting the
rotation of the specimen container. In this embodiment, the
specimen container is pushed at four places. Accordingly, the
specimen container can be fixed and its rotation can be restricted.
The specimen container is held by the specimen container pushing
sections 12 and a specimen container positioning section 13. The
specimen container is preferably but not limited to be held
vertically to the upper surface of the adapter insertion section 9
shown in FIG. 2. The rotation restricting adapter 6 is mounted
(secured) to the specimen rack body 1 by inserting specimen rack
mounting sections 14 into the adapter insertion section 9 shown in
FIG. 2.
[0036] In this embodiment, the specimen rack mounting sections are
provided to four upper portions of the rotation restricting adapter
6. Accordingly, the rotation restricting adapter 6 is certainly
fixed to the specimen rack body 1. The specimen rack mounting
sections 14 are tapered such that their lower ends are not snagged
on the specimen rack body 1 when inserted into the specimen rack
body 1.
[0037] In this embodiment, a sleeve 101 is provided to the rotation
restricting adapter 6 such that a user can insert the rotation
restricting adapter 6 into the specimen rack body 1 safely and
easily. The outer circumference of the lower end of the sleeve 101
is tapered. This produces a space between the rotation restricting
adapter 6 and the specimen rack body 1 to insert the rotation
restricting adapter 6 into the specimen rack body 1 easily.
[0038] Further, two knobs 102 are provided to the sleeve 101, and
the lower ends of the knobs 102 are tapered. The rotation
restricting adapter 6 can be detached from the specimen rack body 1
safely and easily by inserting a tweezers-like jig into spaces
produced between these tapers and specimen rack body 1 and pinching
the two knobs 102.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the rotation adapter 7 holds
the specimen container by use of the specimen container positioning
section 13. The rotation adapter 7 is mounted in the same manner as
the rotation restricting adapter 6 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The
sleeve 101 and the knobs 102 are also the same as those of the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
[0040] In this embodiment, to permit the specimen container to
rotate, the rotation adapter 7 does not have the specimen container
pushing section 12 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. This reduces friction
between the specimen container and the specimen container
positioning section 13 to permit the easy rotation.
[0041] To accommodate a rotation mechanism of the specimen
pre-processing device, a notch section 103 is provided to the
rotation adapter 7.
[0042] The adapter for both micro specimen container and 13
mm-diameter specimen container 8 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is used
in transporting the micro specimen container 4 and the 13
mm-diameter specimen container 3. Since the micro specimen
container 4 of FIG. 1 is lighter than the 16 mm-diameter specimen
container 2 and the 13 mm-diameter specimen container 3, the
specimen rack may fall during transport due to uneven weight
distribution.
[0043] Then, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a weight 16 is detachably
mounted (attached) to the bottom of the adapter for both micro
specimen container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container 8. This
provides even weight distribution on the specimen rack. Herein, the
whole of the specimen rack can be compact when the weight 16 is
made of metal because its volume can be small, but its material is
not limited to metal but may be resin.
[0044] Further, to prevent the bottom of the adapter for both micro
specimen container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container 8 from
being unstable due to the attachment of the weight 16 made of
metal, a weight securing section 114 is provided to the bottom of
the adapter for both micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter
specimen container 8.
[0045] The adapter for both micro specimen container and 13
mm-diameter specimen container 8 has a micro specimen container
insertion hole 15 into which a micro specimen container is
inserted. Since the adapter for both micro specimen container and
13 mm-diameter specimen container 8 has a cylindrical shape whose
side surface is closed, this shape is called an O-shape.
[0046] When the 16 mm-diameter specimen container 2 and the 13
mm-diameter specimen container 3 are inserted into the same
specimen rack body 1 and introduced to a centrifuge, the centrifuge
may stop. To address this problem, when the 16 mm-diameter specimen
container 2 and the 13 mm-diameter specimen container 3 are
introduced to the centrifuge, the adapter for both micro specimen
container and 13 mm-diameter specimen container 8 is mounted to a
mounting position for the 13 mm-diameter specimen container 3 in
the specimen rack body 1.
[0047] In the past, although the specimen rack body 1 used in an
automatic analyzer is different from that used in a specimen
pre-processing device, the specimen rack can be used in both the
automatic analyzer and the specimen pre-processing device by
setting a height of the specimen rack side surface 10 to 70 mm from
its upper surface as shown in FIG. 3. Further, the specimen rack
adapters 11 are provided lower than the height of the specimen rack
side surface 10, so that specimens managed using barcodes can be
selected using colors of the specimen rack adapters by providing
color sensors to the automatic analyzer and the specimen
pre-processing device.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0048] The specimen rack adapters of the present invention are
applicable to automatic analyzers, specimen pre-processing devices
etc.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0049] 1: Specimen rack body [0050] 2: 16 mm-diameter specimen
container [0051] 3: 13 mm-diameter specimen container [0052] 4:
Micro specimen container [0053] 5: Bar code [0054] 6: Rotation
restricting adapter [0055] 7: Rotation adapter [0056] 8: Adapter
for both micro specimen container and 13 mm-diameter specimen
container [0057] 9: Adapter insertion section [0058] 10: Specimen
rack side surface [0059] 11: Specimen rack adapter [0060] 12:
Specimen container pushing section [0061] 13: Specimen container
positioning section [0062] 14: Specimen rack mounting section
[0063] 15: Micro specimen container Insertion hole [0064] 16:
Weight [0065] 101: Sleeve [0066] 102: Knob [0067] 103: Notch
section [0068] 114: Weight securing section
* * * * *